Purpose

Remove Phragmites (Phragmites australis) and Lyme Grass (Leymus arenarius) from 118 miles and 3,600 acres of Lake Michigan Shoreline. Work would be mostly be done below the Lake Michigan ordinary high water mark along identified Conservation Opportunity Areas that include 25 State Natural Areas, 6 State Parks/Forests, 3 State Wildlife Areas and adjacent private lands. Phragmites and Lyme Grass will be removed from 1) 54 miles and 3,315 acres in Brown, Marinette, and Oconto Counties, 2) 50 miles and 240 acres in Door County and 3) 13 miles and 55 acres in Manitowoc and Sheboygan Counties. In addition partners will provide almost $80,000 in matching funds.

Objective

PHRAGMITES:
1. Primarily by aerial spraying, Phragmites will be removed from 54 miles of shoreline and 3,315 acres of coastal wetlands within the Green Bay West Shore Conservation Opportunity Area in Brown (10 miles and 750 acres), Marinette (13 miles and 627 acres), and Oconto (31 miles and 1,938 acres). A backpack or boom sprayer will be used for small sites.
2. Using backpack or boom sprayers, Phragmites and Lyme Grass will be removed from 50 miles of shoreline and 240 acres of coastal wetlands within 11 Conservation Opportunity Areas within Door County.
3. Using backpack or boom sprayers, Phragmites will be removed from 13 miles of shoreline and 45 acres of coastal wetlands within the Point Beach-Woodland Dunes and Kohler-Andrae Conservation Opportunity Areas in Manitowoc and Sheboygan Counties.
LYME GRASS:
1. Using backpack or boom sprayers, Lyme Grass will be removed from 8 miles of shoreline and 5 acres of coastal wetlands within the Point Beach-Woodland Dunes Conservation Opportunity Areas in Manitowoc County.
2. Using backpack or boom sprayers, Lyme Grass will be removed from 5 miles of shoreline and 5 acres within the Kohler-Andrae Conservation Opportunity Areas in Sheboygan County.

Outcome

Phragmites and Lyme Grass would be eliminated from 118 miles and 3,600 acres of Lake Michigan Shoreline along identified Conservation Opportunity Areas (COA) that includes 25 State Natural Areas, 6 State Parks/Forests, and 3 State Wildlife Areas.
Elimination of Phragmites and Lyme Grass from the identified areas will help prevent these invasives from expanding into other areas.
An effective, efficient, and environmentally sound program of Phragmites and Lyme Grass management (identification of areas and eradication) is developed and implemented with all the partners that is consistent with existing fish, wildlife, and other ecosystem plans/strategies.
There will be a large increase in knowledge of private landowners who own land adjacent to the identified areas in identification, best control methods, and reason for control Phragmites and Lyme Grass.
Phragmites Removal:
- 54 miles and 3,315 acres of shoreline in Brown, Marinette, and Oconto Counties.
- 50 miles and 240 acres of shoreline in Door County.
- 13 miles and 45 acres of shoreline in Manitowoc and Sheboygan Counties.
Lyme Grass Removal:
- 8 miles of shoreline and 5 acres of coastal wetlands within the Point Beach-Woodland Dunes Conservation Opportunity Areas in Manitowoc County.
- 5 miles of shoreline and 5 acres within the Kohler-Andrae Conservation Opportunity Areas in Sheboygan County.
Control of Phragmites and Lyme Grass will improve the quality of the wetland community and benefit plants and wildlife associated with the coastal wetlands especially the Species of Greatest Conservation Need (Table 2). This project will also prevent these invasives from invading adjacent areas and negatively impacting coastal wetlands and associated species.